ka-
prefix meaning fellow or recently completed
Usage Note
Ka- is a highly productive Tagalog prefix with two main uses: forming nouns meaning 'fellow' or 'co-' (as in kaibigan, friend), and in combination with -an denoting shared states. It also marks recently completed actions in some constructions, making it essential for building relational and social vocabulary.
Examples
" Kapatid ko ang kabarkada mo. "
Natural Translation
Your buddy is my sibling.
Literal Translation
Sibling my the fellow-friend your.
" Siya ang ka-klase ko noong elementarya. "
Natural Translation
He/She was my classmate in elementary school.
Literal Translation
He/She the fellow-class my when elementary.
" Naging ka-trabaho ko siya noong isang taon, at mula noon ay naging matalik na kaibigan na namin. "
Natural Translation
He/She became my co-worker last year, and since then has become a close friend of ours.
Literal Translation
Became co-worker my he/she last one year, and from then became close friend already our.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
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